Norton Rose announces three new partners to relocate to Middle East

Points of Essence:

• Norton Rose is ready to enhance its Islamic finance legal practice in the Middle East by placing three of its key Islamic finance partners in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices. Ameinfo has the report.

International legal practice Norton Rose (Middle East) LLP announced that three London-based partners will move to join the Middle East offices.

Global Head of Islamic Finance, Neil D Miller will join the Dubai office and corporate finance partner, Alan Bainbridge and asset finance partner, Emma Giddings, will both move to the office in Abu Dhabi.

Fast growing Malaysian firm grows a little more

Points of Essence:

• Malaysia based Azmi & Associates hires Idrus Ismail to expand its Islamic banking and finance practice. The former legal counsel will boost the firm’s profile amid intense competition from other legal firms in the region.

By Rashida Yosufzai

One of the region’s fastest growing law firms, Malaysia-based Azmi & Associates, has expanded its Islamic finance practice with a new appointment.

Idrus Ismail

The firm has recruited former in-house counsel as a senior lawyer for its Islamic Banking & Finance Practice Group as the booming practice area develops further in the region.

With over two decades of banking advisory experience, Ismail has held positions with various financial institutions including Malaysia’s second largest bank, CIMB Islamic Bank Bank Berhad.

The timely addition comes as competition for market share in the Islamic finance market heats up between

Simmons & Simmons expands Dubai office with new finance partner appointment

Points of Essence:

• Simmons & Simmons is poised to eye a big chuck of Islamic finance legal jobs in the MENA region with the appointment of a leading banking lawyer, Eric Milde, to head up its new banking and finance practice in Dubai.

Leading banking lawyer Eric Milne has joined the international law firm of Simmons & Simmons as a partner to head up their Banking & Finance practice in the Middle East,and he will be based in Dubai, the firm announced today.

‘Eric is a top quality practitioner with a wealth of international and regional experience, his appointment will enable the Dubai office to take advantage of the significant opportunities in the banking and finance sector in this dynamic region. Eric’s expertise helps to consolidate the growth in the finance team and provides strong leadership for our conventional finance practice in particular.’

said Paul Simpson, regional managing partner, Simmons & Simmons.